LOWELL, Massachusetts — The pitching staff has been precariously thin this season for the University of Maine baseball team.
So when when usually dependable starter Justin Courtney struggled early in Thursday’s postseason opener, the Black Bears were not able to stop the bleeding.
The University of Maryland Baltimore County scored seven runs against three UMaine pitchers over a span of three innings, building an eight-run advantage on the way to a 9-5 victory in the America East Baseball Championship at LeLacheur Park.
Coach Steve Trimper’s Black Bears (24-27) will attempt to stave off elimination in the four-team, double-elimination tournament in Friday’s 1 p.m. contest against fourth-seeded Hartford (22-30). The Hawks dropped a 2-0 decision to No. 1 Stony Brook in Thursday’s first game.
Stony Brook and UMBC play in the winners’ bracket Friday at 5.
The Black Bears are determined to persevere.
“It’s a tough loss,” said senior co-captain Scott Heath of Westbrook.
“It’s going to show what kind of club we have tomorrow, whether we fold or come out swinging and fighting.”
The Retrievers, who won their first postseason game since joining America East in 2004, spoiled the collegiate postseason debut of Courtney. UMBC reached the freshman right-hander from Bangor (5-6) for five hits and four earned runs in 2⅓ innings.
Courtney had trouble with his control. He walked two, threw a wild pitch and was charged with a balk. He also surrendered a two-run home run to Connor Hax in the second inning that jumpstarted the UMBC offense.
“Just falling behind early in courts and having to throw the fastball was really the issue, just not executing our plan as good as we could have,” Courtney said. “I would have liked to change some things out there if I could do it again, but we’ve just got to move on and put it all behind us.”
Chad Wozniak (4-1) held up his end of the bargain on the mound for the Retrievers. The righty, a junior college transfer who on Wednesday was named the America East Pitcher of the Year, limited UMaine to six hits and one run through seven innings. He struck out four and walked one.
“To be at the D-I level and pitch in playoffs is a blessing in itself, but to shut a team down and get the ‘W,’ it’s definitely a big deal for me,” Wozniak said.
UMBC provided the junior with plenty of support. The Retrievers registered 13 hits, sparked by a double and two singles from Anthony Gatto, two doubles by Jake Barnes and a pair of singles from Hunter Dolshun.
“We’re here to hit,” said Gatto, a senior outfielder.
“This win’s huge. It’s something that we want to keep rolling with … today really set the tone for us and we’re ready to go for (Friday),” he added.
UMaine finished with 10 hits, including a double and a single apiece by Kevin Stypulkowski (two RBIs), Alex Cabrera and Luke Morrill of South Thomaston. Brian Doran added two singles.
However, the Black Bears went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position over the first seven innings and were unable to sufficiently cut into the early deficit enough to build any momentum.
UMBC, which did not arrive in Lowell until late Wednesday night after completing its final exams, was very much ready to go.
The Retrievers took the lead for good in the second inning when Jamie Switalski bounced a single to center and trotted home when Hax hit a towering two-run home run to right field.
“As soon as he hit that home run, there was no doubt in my mind we were winning that game,” Gatto said. “We were all pumped up and ready to go score some more runs.”
UMBC did just that, scoring twice to chase Courtney in the third, then reaching reliever Charlie Butler for four hits and three runs in the fourth.
In the third, Vince Corbi singled with one out and moved to third when Gatto pounded a double off the left-field fence. The first run of the inning scored on a balk, before Courtney walked Dolshun and Switalski to load the bases.
Andrew Casali’s RBI fielder’s choice made it 4-0.
“I think they played relaxed and exactly the way we’ve been playing the last three weeks,” said UMBC coach Bob Mumma.
In the fourth, Barnes, Mitchell Carroll and Kevin Lachance stroked consecutive singles for the first run off Butler. After a sacrifice bunt, Gatto was walked intentionally but Dolshun grounded a run-scoring single to left and Switalski followed with an RBI fielder’s choice that pushed the advantage to 7-0.
“Unfortunately, it’s not just Justin (Courtney who was ineffective),” Trimper said. “Our bullpen didn’t hold up.”
Trailing 8-0, UMaine scratched out a run in the sixth on Cabrera’s double past first, Heath’s single and an error by the right fielder on a fly ball off the bat of Brett Chappell.
UMBC got the run back in the bottom of the inning and the Bears’ three runs over the final two frames, highlighted by Stypulkowski’s two-run double in the eighth, were not enough.
“We’ve got to barrel up balls and we’ve got to pitch and play defense. It’s as simple as that, play baseball,” Doran said of UMaine’s approach for Friday.